Watchcase-protector.



J. n. HALE. WATGHOASE PROTECTOR.

APPLIOLIIOI FILED IA]. 16, 1901- RENEWED JUL! 20, 1908 Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

UNITED STATEfd IPATENT FFEQE.

JOSHUA B. HALE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO EDMUND B. THOMSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

WATCHCASE-PROTECTOB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed January 15, 1907, Serial No. 352,405. Renewed July 20, 1908. Serial No. 4%,365.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnUA B. HALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'atchcase-Protectors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a watch-case protector or shield and has for its object to provide a soft flexible envelop or protecting inclosing cover, inexpensive to construct and neat in appearance, that may be readily applied to a watch case, and a further object of the invention is to provide a flap to said envelop like the body also soft and flexible, so that it may be readily withdrawn, turned down or pushed aside by the thumb or finger to expose the face of the watch to view, the flap being then as readily replaced.

1 preferably construct my improved device of thin flexible material, such as leather, kid, chamois, or the like, and when the same is applied to an expensive watch and case it serves many useful purposes, among others being, it prevents the case from being scratched or receiving an undue amount of wear while being carried in the pocket, it protects the case against the fumes and actions of chemicals, it also protects the same against soiled hands, and from abrasive substances which may be on the hands or collected in the pocket.

A feature of this invention is that the case may be made of a material rough on its outer surface whereby it will have a tendency to cling to the pocket of the wearer and so prevent the watch from accidentally falling out.

Another and important feature is that a watch inclosed in my improved envelop is protected against the action of electricity by reason of its being kept dry and free from moisture, and the envelo may also be of a nonconducting material i' desired.

This invention is fully set forth in the specification and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawin s: Figure 1 is a front view of a watch inclosed in my improved envelop. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 showing the envelo with its flap turned down to expose t e face of the watch. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the watch showing the envelop in section with its flap closed over the face of the watch in which position it is naturally held while in the pocket of the wearer.

Referring to the drawings at 1 is the watch case of the ordinary open face type and 2 the stem thereof. The envelop 3 is preferably made of soft flexible material such as thin kid, chamois or the like, the same being constructed of a plain back portion 4, to the edge of which is secured a narrow strip 5 extending a little more than half way around the circle, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner circle 9 of this narrow strip is adapted to just cover the casing or rim of the watch around its face. This narrow strip is left unattached for a short distance at its upper edge providing an opening 6 through which the stem of the watch may be passed. At 7 is a disk, or front portion, made of the same soft flexible material and is secured about its lower edge at 8 to the back portion of the envelop. The fastening of this front portion in this manner forms a little pocket into which the lower edge of the watch sets. This front portion when turned up is adapted to extend over the face of the watch, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, forming a flap for the protection of the glass and making the covering complete. It will be noted that the several portions of my improved watch protector may be united in any preferred manner, and while I have illustrated the same as secured by means of stitches, I do not limit myself in this particular. When the envelop is thus constructed a watch may be readily inserted into the same by first passing the stem up through the opening 6 in itsupper edge and then bending back the lower portion to which the flap is secured and bringing it back around the lower edge of the watch case. The watch is thus securely held in this protecting envelop and cannot be inadvertently removed therefrom and when it is desired to bring the face to view this flap is readily caused to drop away from the face of the watch by a touch of the thumb or finger and as readily replaced.

Another feature of this invention is that the flap being secured at its lower portion, or to that portion opposite the stem of the watch, the natural tendency is for the same to close as the watch is dropped into the pocket of the wearer and to stay closed until the same is withdrawn again from said pocket. This Withdrawing movement from the pocket also has a tendency to turn the flap back from the face of the watch automatically leaving the same exposd to view.

T he device is extremely simple and practical, inexpensive in construction and neat in appearance, and by its use fine watches and their valuable cases are greatly preserved.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An envelop for watches comprising a back portion of flexible material, a narrow strip of flexible material attached to the back portion and adapted to extend approxi mately half around the face of the Watch, said strip being unattached at an intermediate point to form an opening for the passage of the stem of a watch to secure the latter in position and a front portion or ilap similar in contour to the back portion and attached at its edges'to meet the ends of said strip.

2. An envelop for watches comprising a back portion of flexible material, a front portion or flap similar in contour thereto, and a narrow strip of material interposed between said back and said flap and. adapted to extend approximately half around the face of a watch, said strip and a portion of said flap bein stitched at their outer edges to the contiguous edges of said back leaving a portion of the flap free, said strip being unattached at a point intermediate of its ends to form an opening for the stem of a Watch.

3. An envelop for Watches comprising a back portion of flexible material, a narro'w strip of flexible material attached at its outer edge to the contiguous edge of said back by stitching and adapted to extend approximately half around the faee of a watch, said strip being unattached at an intermediate point to form an opening for the passage of the stem of a Watch, and a front portion or flap similar in contour to the back portion and having a portion of its outer edge stitched to the adjacent edge of said back at a point diametrically opposite to the stitches in said. strip.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSHUA B. HALE. Witnesses HOWARD E. BAnLow, E. I. OGDEN. 

